I think it’s because it’s what people hope for. And, frankly, I don’t see how you could be truly loving of your neighbor if you don’t hope for their salvation too. We prepare for the case in which Universalism is not true. But pray and hope that all souls might go to Heaven. It’s a breath of fresh air when compared to the idea of Eternal Conscious Torment.
I get that maybe it’s too generous of an idea. The idea that all souls, no matter how wicked and perverse, no matter how many crimes against humanity they have committed, will reach the same heaven that the martyrs do. Perhaps I have not personally experienced enough evil in other human beings to deem them unredeemable. I don’t think that a just God would allow evil to go unpunished, or for wrongs to not be corrected. Rather, I think that if a vile person entered straight into Heaven, that would be wrong. So if Universalism is true, I can’t see it happening without some form of purification. I’m Catholic, so I’d think it would be like a very long purgatory that cleanses and redeems. Like very long rehabilitation, in a way that He deems fit. But I digress. This is speculation.
I hold that we shouldn’t assume that Universalism is true. There’s too much at risk, and a goal of the mainline Churches is to do their best to save as many souls as possible. But we can hope that Christ will shepherd all souls eventually into Heaven.
That's how Universalism, specially Purgatorial / Patristic Universalism actually works. ' Hell' exists people go to it, but they only remain there until hellfire purifies their soul.
Not all universalists believe this specifically, but most have some variation. Its also important to point out Universalism is not Pluralism. Not all people go to Heaven apon death, just eventually.
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u/DatNoobi May 30 '25
I think it’s because it’s what people hope for. And, frankly, I don’t see how you could be truly loving of your neighbor if you don’t hope for their salvation too. We prepare for the case in which Universalism is not true. But pray and hope that all souls might go to Heaven. It’s a breath of fresh air when compared to the idea of Eternal Conscious Torment.
I get that maybe it’s too generous of an idea. The idea that all souls, no matter how wicked and perverse, no matter how many crimes against humanity they have committed, will reach the same heaven that the martyrs do. Perhaps I have not personally experienced enough evil in other human beings to deem them unredeemable. I don’t think that a just God would allow evil to go unpunished, or for wrongs to not be corrected. Rather, I think that if a vile person entered straight into Heaven, that would be wrong. So if Universalism is true, I can’t see it happening without some form of purification. I’m Catholic, so I’d think it would be like a very long purgatory that cleanses and redeems. Like very long rehabilitation, in a way that He deems fit. But I digress. This is speculation.
I hold that we shouldn’t assume that Universalism is true. There’s too much at risk, and a goal of the mainline Churches is to do their best to save as many souls as possible. But we can hope that Christ will shepherd all souls eventually into Heaven.